Analyte monitors can be configured to mount on tissue to detect analytes in a sensing area. For example, and without limitation, analyte monitors can include sensors that measure the concentration of glucose, lactate, cholesterol, hemoglobin, and/or other blood or bodily fluid constituents.
In some cases, persons with diabetes mellitus (also known as diabetes) can use an analyte monitor. Diabetes is a disorder in which the pancreas of a person may not create sufficient insulin, such as in the case of Type I diabetes, and/or in which insulin may not be effective for a person, such as is in the case of Type II diabetes. In a diabetic state, a victim can suffer from high blood sugar, which can cause an array of physiological derangements, such as kidney failure, skin ulcers, or bleeding into the vitreous of the eye, which can be associated with the deterioration of small blood vessels. A hypoglycemic reaction, such as low blood sugar, can be induced by an inadvertent overdose of insulin, or after a normal dose of insulin or glucose-lowering agent accompanied by extraordinary exercise or insufficient food intake.
In some cases, a diabetic can carry an analyte monitor such as a self-monitoring blood glucose (“SMBG”) monitor, which typically can utilize uncomfortable finger pricking methods. Due to the lack of comfort and/or convenience, a diabetic typically measures his or her glucose level only two to four times per day. Unfortunately, these time intervals can be spread so far apart that the diabetic would likely find out too late that he/she has a hyperglycemic or hypoglycemic condition, which can sometimes cause dangerous side effects. In fact, it is not only unlikely that a diabetic would take a timely SMBG value, but additionally, the diabetic would likely not know if his/her blood glucose value is rising or falling based on conventional methods.
Consequently, a variety of analyte monitors are being developed to include non-invasive, transdermal (e.g., transcutaneous), and/or implantable electrochemical sensors for continuously detecting and/or quantifying blood glucose values. These, as well as other types of devices, generally transmit raw or processed data to remote devices, which can include a display, to allow presentation of information to a user hosting the sensor.